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It appears the football world is finally showing midfielders the honor they deserve. Luka Modric won the prestigious Ballon d'Or accolade in 2018. This year, three midfielders, namely Ngolo Kante, Jorginho and Kevin De Bruyne, were named on the three-man shortlist for the UEFA Men's Player of the Year award.
There's no denying midfielders play the most important role on the pitch. Acting as the link between defense and attack, controlling the tempo of the game and helping to bring the best out of their teammates, the relevance of these players can't be over-emphacized.
While most midfielders are only comfortable playing in their natural spots in the center, a few have on several occasions taken up the challenge to prove themselves in other positions and they have done exceptionally well. In this article, we'll take a look at five such midfielders in the football world right now.
#5 Joshua Kimmich | Bayern Munich, Germany
Bayern Munich superstar Joshua Kimmich has been one of the finest midfielders in Europe over the last couple of years with his eye-catching displays for the Bavarians at the center of the pitch.
Apart from impressing in his role as a defensive midfielder, the German has also proved that he isn't afraid of testing himself in other areas. So far in his career, he's played as a right-back, a center-back and in more advanced spots in the middle.
Kimmich joined Bayern Munich in the summer of 2015 and he's gone forward to bag an impressive 30 goals and 73 assists for the German champions in 264 appearances across all competitions so far.
#4 Saul Niguez | Atletico Madrid, Spain
Saul Niguez is Diego Simeone's go-to option whenever he needs someone to play out of their natural position in defense or midfield. The Spaniard's versatility has allowed him to occupy several spots in Atletico Madrid's line-up over the last few seasons and he's done a good job in all of them.
Saul alternated between central and defensive midfield for the most part of last season. In the preceding years, he played as an attacking midfielder and also deputized at left-back when the situation called for it.
#3 Georginio Wijnaldum | Paris Saint-Germain, Netherlands
The Dutchman was one of Jurgen Klopp's favorite players during his time at Liverpool, mainly because of his versatility. Georginio Wijnaldum can play in any area in the middle of the pitch and be deployed as a winger on both flanks.
The midfielder has also tested himself in the center-back position once in his career and he did just fine. He was a vital cog in the Liverpool team that made history by winning the Premier League title during the 2019-2020 campaign, bagging four goals in 37 games.
Wijnaldum left Anfield this summer and signed a three-year deal with French outfit Paris Saint-Germain. He's featured in each of their three league games so far and looks set to be a key player for Mauricio Pochettino this season.
#2 Bernardo Silva | Manchester City, Portugal
Bernardo Silva has proved to be a huge asset for Pep Guardiola in recent seasons owing to his ability to step up and produce exceptional performances even when played out of position.
Although naturally an attacking midfielder, the Portuguese has played in every midfield and attacking position on the pitch over the years. With a return of 70 goals and 70 assists in 391 appearances in his entire career, it is clear that he enjoys creating goals just as much as he likes scoring them.
Silva is expected to leave Manchester City this summer following the arrival of Jack Grealish. The Portuguese has been linked with a move to a number of Europe's elite clubs, including Barcelona, Juventus, Atletico Madrid and AC Milan.
#1 James Milner | Liverpool, England
James Milner doesn't have a favorite position on the field and it is just as simple as that. When asked about his favored role back in 2017, the Liverpool star simply replied that he would play in any position just to help his team.
The Englishman has played in every role on the pitch so far in his career except at center-back. Milner has been utilized as a central midfielder recently, but the Englishman has been deployed in a wide range of positions, including at left-back, during his Anfield stint.
The 35-year-old has made a whopping 772 total appearances at club level, with a return of 85 goals and 131 assists. When he eventually decides to hang up his boots, he will definitely go down as one of the most versatile footballers in history.
